This would explain how people have reported success in treating various anxiety disorders, such as anorexia or PTSD, with cannabis.

But this still doesn’t explain why cannabis causes anxiety and paranoia for certain people. And although more research is needed, there are a few key factors we can examine now.

The Chemical Composition of Cannabis

Cannabinoids work best together. For example, CBD can actually help mitigate the effects of THC thus reducing the odds of a panic attack.

As most of you already know, cannabis comes in a variety of chemical makeups. There are sativas and indicas, each with their own differing levels of CBD and THC, but individual strains can vary wildly in their cannabinoid profiles.

If anxiety is an issue, you might want to look for lower levels of THC or simply a different strain.

Your Physical Make-Up

We all have different bodies, different metabolism rates, and different reactions to marijuana. This is why figuring out the perfect cannabis regimen often takes a bit of trial and error.

Everyone is affected by chemicals differently. This is why you may eat just a few bites of a medicated brownie and find yourself on another planet, yet your buddy can eat the whole brownie and not feel a thing.

You’re both handling the chemicals differently, and there are seemingly a million factors that play into that.

Body size, age, gender and many other chemical processes in the body can all play a role in how you metabolize that brownie.

Also, the method in which cannabis is ingested plays a part. If you’re smoking dry flower, you may notice that you get a faster, or more impactful result. Edibles on the other hand can take up to two hours before you notice anything.

So, How Can I Actually Avoid Anxiety?

Understanding how cannabis actually works is a huge step in learning how to reduce the potential for anxiety or paranoia.

You can try a number of things to alleviate yourself of cannabis-induced anxiety.

Consume smaller doses of cannabis.

Experiment with different strains.

Try alternative methods.

Mind your set and setting.

These are extremely valuable tips, so let’s dive a little deeper into each one.

#1) Smaller doses

For many people, consuming too much pot leads to anxiety and other unwanted side effects.

Whether you’re new to cannabis or not, taking in smaller doses can help you steer clear of anxiety and other unwanted side effects while achieving greater medical benefits over a longer period of time.

A lot of people – including myself – swear by micro-dosing, which involves medicating with such a small amount of cannabis that you notice minimum to zero side effects.

If you’re curious to learn more about micro-dosing, check out this comprehensive article about how less may indeed be more.

#2) Different strains

Some strains will make you more anxious than others, depending your body. It’s important that we are able to experiment and find the strains that we like best. All the more reason to fight for sensible marijuana regulation.

If you live in a state or country where cannabis is still prohibited, you’re not going to have a lot of options here.

But if you do have access to a dispensary, you might want to experiment with a variety of CBD-dominant strains.

CBD actually works to modulate the effects of THC, so even an equal 1:1 ratio might be more to your liking.

#3) Alternative methods

If you live near a good dispensary, you’ll have access to all sorts of cannabis products and delivery systems.

Smoking, vaping, edibles – all of these methods lead to different effects and experiences with cannabis.

With smoking and vaping, it’s much easier to self-titrate because the effects are almost immediate.

With edibles dosage can be much trickier, but if you can get it just right, this could be your ideal method of consumption.

What works best for you?

Establishing the perfect cannabis regimen is a very personal experience that takes a lot of trial and error, mindfulness, and a willingness to recognize what works and what doesn’t.

If you’re patient, you can find what works best for you and avoid those unwanted side effects of marijuana. For me, it’s all about taking smaller doses and consuming when my set and setting are just right.

What has your experience been with anxiety and paranoia when consuming cannabis? Have any of these suggestions worked for you? Have you tried the peppercorn trick?

Let us know your thoughts in the comment section and check out our FREE Green Flower Reports for more in-depth cannabis knowledge:

The information on this site is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.